The present disclosure relates generally to radio frequency (RF) sputtering physical vapor deposition (PVD) and more particularly to a shaped shield and a chamber shield for an RF sputtering PVD apparatus.
Radio frequency sputtering PVD is a method for depositing a thin film on a substrate. The substrate is placed in a vacuum chamber facing a target that is connected to an RF power supply. When the RF power is initiated, a plasma is formed. Positive gas ions are pulled to the target surface, strike the target, and remove target atoms by momentum transfer. The removed target atoms then deposit on the substrate to form a thin film layer.
During physical vapor deposition, it can be important to control the properties of the deposited thin film. Problems can arise in the stability of the process or the film as a result of plasma spread-out toward the vacuum chamber walls or reversal of deposition.